When the fukutaicho is away
by Oirarana
Summary: Hitsugaya Toshiro is one of the most straight-laced taichos of the Gotei 13, his fukutaicho Matsumoto Rangiku is anything but....how does the prodigy survive? Oneshot, Part of the Heavenly Guardian collection


This is the first fanfic that I've ever published. It's a one shot AU, set as a companion piece to 'Upon the Wings of the Guardian' which is in planning

The AU is mainly because I haven't seen the whole series, but there are some purposeful differences.

This is set before the series, so no traitors yet.

Unbeta'd (BN: Not any more! XP!)

Edited for minor spelling and grammar mistakes and updated information on 28th March 2008

Beta'ed…. A really long time after that.

A big thankyou to 2stupid for beta'ing this fic

**NOTE****:** I have changed my penname from LordViktor to Oirarana

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. I just play with the characters.

* * *

Hitsugaya Toshiro was not a happy person; however this unhappiness was not a natural predilection towards being miserable, unlike that of other Shinigami he could name- Kurotsuchi-taicho, for example.

No, the sole reason for his anguish stood before him; Matsumoto Rangiku, the tall, busty fukutaicho stared at him through exaggeratedly innocent eyes.

"But taicho, I don't know what you mean," Matsumoto said with faux innocence.

"Matsumoto, I didn't become the youngest taicho in the history of the Soul Society because I'm an idiot. I know that pile of paperwork was on your desk this morning," he stated, motioning to a pile of paper stacked precariously on the edge of his desk. "Just as I know that you decided to leave me to do my work and yours so you can go off drinking with Kira-fukutaicho, Hisagi-fukutaicho, Abarai-fukutaicho, and Third Seat Madarame!"

Matsumoto looked down at the floor, scuffing her feet childishly. Looking up, Hitsugaya noted with annoyance that she had plastered on a look of extreme regret.

He was determined not to fall for whatever trick she had up her sleeve, because there was no way that he was going to do her work and his own.

"I'm sorry, taicho, it's just……it's Ikkaku's birthday today and we wanted to go and celebrate it," she stated, oozing earnestness.

Hitsugaya sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling his migraine get worse.

"You used that excuse three days ago, Matsumoto; I didn't believe you then and I'm not going to believe you this time."

"Taicho, you're so cruel. How do you know that I'm not telling the truth this time? Are you going to make me miss my friend's birthday just because you don't believe me?" Matsumoto asked in what she hoped was a hurt tone.

"Because, Matsumoto, I have written in here," at this he gestured at a teal book on his desk, "the dates of every possible occasion that you might have as an excuse to skip work and go drinking. None of them happen to coincide with today."

It was at times like this that Matsumoto really hated being the fukutaicho of the Intelligence Division. If any taicho was going to know her friends' birthdays while being an all around anti-social person it was Hitsugaya-taicho.

She as running out of options; if she didn't come up with anything soon she would have to do her work. It was too early in the day to just disappear.

She might be a loafer but she had her own standards; if she couldn't get permission to go then, she wouldn't leave until 4 o'clock.

"Don't even think about it, Matsumoto."

"Think about what, taicho?" she asked innocently.

"There is nothing you can say that will convince me to let you go without your completing your work," Hitsugaya stated sternly.

"But taicho…" Matsumoto's plea was interrupted by a knock on the office door.

"Enter," Hitsugaya called out, his migraine reaching an all time high at the interruption. All he wanted was for Matsumoto to do her work so he could do his own in peace.

To both Hitsugaya's and Matsumoto's surprise, Kurotsuchi Nemu and Kusajishi Yachiru entered the office.

"I'm sorry for the interruption, Hitsugaya-taicho…" Nemu began.

"Yeah! Sorry, Spiky!" Yachiru called enthusiastically.

Pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation for a moment, Hitsugaya looked up at the two. "Kurotsuchi-fukutaicho, Kusajishi-fukutaicho, how may I be of assistance?"

"We are here to inform Matsumoto-fukutaicho of a fukutaicho meeting that has been scheduled to begin in the next ten minutes," Nemu responded quietly.

"Yep, yep, yep, Big Booby has to come with us now, Spiky!" Yachiru giggled.

Matsumoto paled. "I didn't know there was a meeting today!" she exclaimed, already panicking.

"That doesn't surprise me at all," Hitsugaya stated dryly.

Sighing, he shook his head, "Matsumoto, you're dismissed to go to this meeting. I'll leave your paperwork on your desk."

Selectively ignoring that last part, Matsumoto nodded to Hitsugaya, saying, "thank you, taicho," before turning to the other two fukutaicho. She added a "let's go."

Hitsugaya just sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he watched his fukutaicho walk out the office door.

Before she left, Matsumoto turned to her taicho and quipped, "Make sure to have some fun while I'm gone, taicho!" winking as she shut the door.

"MATSUMOTO!!"

* * *

Matsumoto walked down the hall between Nemu and Yachiru, pondering her apparent forgetfulness when suddenly Nemu stopped her.

"What's the matter?" Matsumoto inquired.

"Abarai-fukutaicho wishes to meet with you," Nemu replied.

"But…but what about the meeting?"

"Pineapple Head wanted us to get you away from Spiky, so we did!" Yachiru giggled.

"No meeting?"

"Negative."

"But why you two, and why did you agree?" Matsumoto asked curiously.

"That's simple, Rangiku," a male voice stated.

Matsumoto looked away from Nemu to see Abarai Renji standing in the middle of the hallway, grinning widely.

"Those two are unlikely to be suspected of helping you skip work. As for the second question, I bribed them," he said brightly.

"Pineapple head gave me lotsa candy!" Yachiru chirped.

"Abarai-fukutaicho has promised to help me obtain something for my experiment," Nemu stated tonelessly.

"Ah, I see," Matsumoto said quietly. "Well, thanks for everything, guys. I'll see you tomorrow evening."

"Goodbye, Abarai-fukutaicho, Matsumoto-fukutaicho."

"See ya, Pineapple Head, Big Booby!"

Renji and Matsumoto just waved as the unlikely duo turned down a corridor and out of sight.

"Now, Rangiku," Renji began, "Ikkaku and Shuhei are waiting for us."

"We have to drink twice as much sake today, Renji," Matsumoto declared as they began walking down the hallway.

"And why is that?"

"For taicho and Kuchiki-taicho; they're both so uptight I can't imagine either of them ever drinking," Matsumoto stated seriously.

Renji burst out laughing. "Can you imagine Hitsugaya-taicho and Kuchiki-taicho getting drunk?"

* * *

Hitsugaya sighed as he reread the same line again for the fifteenth time. He really wished he didn't have to put up with Matsumoto and her insane antics.

Suddenly, he broke the silence in the office. "I take it Abarai-fukutaicho has also left for this faux fukutaicho meeting?" he questioned without looking up from his paperwork.

Kuchiki Byakuya sat down on the couch just as silently as he had entered. "That is correct," he stated quietly.

Getting up from his desk, Hitsugaya walked over to the couch, sitting down next to Byakuya. The thud of ceramic hitting the floor echoed throughout the office.

Handing a small cup to Byakuya, Hitsugaya stared pensively into the clear liquid in his own cup.

Hitsugaya once more felt the need to break the silence. "Next time, you supply the sake."

"Hmph."

* * *

Well, what do you think? This idea has been bugging me for awhile and I thought I would publish it.

I'm sorry if anybody thought that this was an update, I just had to edit a few things.

Could I get an opinion on my specialisation of the tenth division? I figure ever division has its speciality and Hitsugaya just seems like he could head an intelligence agency. I'd also like suggestions for other division specialities for 'Upon the Wings of the Guardian', I already have 2nd, 4th, 10th, 11th, and 12th

Anywho, thanks for reading my story, and thankyou to those who have reviewed, you've given me motivation to get my writing into gear.

Ja ne!

Beta: 2stupid


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